So thankful that organizations can hold events in this space. I went to yoga at this beach and it…read more was so nice. The views were so pretty. I felt like I could have stayed out there all night with the water and moon. It was also very easy to find parking in that huge lot.

McKinley Park is a short distance farther up the street from the Wisconsin Art Museum. There is…read moreplenty free of parking all over within three park. During warm months they have picnic tables setup and a public restroom is open. The boardwalk trail is beautiful and it's never too packed up. We enjoy coming here to do our walks.

Cudahy Nature Preserve: This 42-acre forested area located near Milwaukee Mitchell International…read moreAirport was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. It's one of three such areas in Milwaukee County. I was unable to find an explanation, but it's odd that the preserve is in the city of Oak Creek and not the city of Cudahy. The area is comprised of a small parking lot, shelter, and two distinct woodlands separated by a stream. I included a picture of the map to help illustrate, but a single trail with two loops goes through each section of the forest. According to the information provided by the state online, the north section is a dry-mesic forest dominated by red oak, white oak, black cherry, and shagbark hickory trees. The south woods are moister and supports an old-growth forest containing sugar maple, American beech, red oak, white ash, and ironwood trees. It was a nice enough trail, but my first visit was in July and not only were the mosquitos bad (especially in the south woods), but I was continuously bombarded by flies like a piece of dog poop. Sorry for the crude analogy, but it's pretty accurate. I'll need to visit again in the fall when the colors are in full swing and the bugs are long dead. As I mentioned earlier, there is a tiny parking lot, but it currently has no parking spaces painted on the ground. I was not a fan of the narrow and blind turn into and out of the lot connecting it to College Avenue either. The Nature Preserve itself is nice, but this is a below average lot that needs some care. Overall, this is a short trail that those looking for somewhere new to explore might enjoy. Personally, I recommend driving five minutes further east to either Grant or Warnimont Parks on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Underused County forest preserve with parking for only 4 vehicles right near the airport. There's…read morea covered gazebo area with room for a small party but I'm not sure they ever do that. A very pleasant forest hike, one circuit is only 7 minutes, the other about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace, so if you take both you can have around a 45-50 minute pleasant easy hike. Insect repellent is a must, but the foliage is dense enough that sunblock isn't actually necessary. Trail can be muddy if it rains overnight.

This beautiful park is located about 15 minutes east of the I-94 freeway. There is a driveway that…read moreleads to a large parking lot far enough away that one cannot hear automobiles from the adjacent road. The park hosts a large pavilion (it can be rented out) with a lot of picnic tables that are like brand new, grills, nice indoor bathrooms, a softball diamond, a large playground, a basketball goal, a sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits, and plentiful areas for picnics. During the time of my first visit, I was unable to explore the hiking trails that lead through the natural areas of prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. However, I was able to enjoy the tranquility of the surround landscape while discussing upcoming plans with friends. There were a couple family with kids playing at the playground and a man walking his dog along the edge of the manicured lawn and prairie plants. The lights are on a timer at the Pavilion and turned on at dusk. The women's restroom was clean and I did not see any spiders (this is extremely important to me.... I hope it continues to remain spider free!). After a Google search, I discovered this park was created recently to serve as a "pollinator paradise" that also slows runoff from the surrounding landscape into the Pike River. *my heart* It's everything I went to graduate school for and then some. This is an ideal place for a nature hike, meeting, taking your kids to play, picnic, family reunion, bridal/baby shower, etc. I was really impressed with the up-keep. Although it is a 35 minute drive, I plan on returning to explore the hiking trails with my pup and meeting up with friends. This is definitely a successful project that was completed by Mount Pleasant and Root-Pike WIN (with assistance from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Fund for Lake Michigan, and other partnerships). 5 stars!!!

Hawthorn Hollow will always have a special place in my heart because I grew up as their neighbor…read more The Pike Creek is truly a hidden gem in southeastern Wisconsin. The land is serene and peaceful, filled with wildlife throughout the area. Great for bird watching or taking a nice hike with the family. Hawthorn Hollow hosts a variety of fun events and workshops. The folks that work there are some of the friendliest as well. Highly recommend visiting Hawthorn Hollow if you've never been!

This was my second visit to this quaint, tucked away nature mecca. I was in awe of the natural…read morebeauty and history that is so delicately preserved. After driving all the way to the back, we parked our car near a discreetly tucked away porta-potty. There is also a small building with information and photos for the visitors. Personalized bricks are available for purchase that are then placed on the floor in front of the visitor's building. Classes, concerts, tours and options for wedding photography are available. I was struck by the many private trails and paths to choose from. They wind around vast amounts of foliage and over streams. We only encountered one other group of three women the entire visit There is a tiny outdoor theater area with small wooden benches, where you can attend shows and concerts and a teepee hidden back in the dense wooded area. At the front of the park, there is an place for honeybees to work - doing their thing. Also, toward the back of the park, the trees open up to a beautiful field of grass and flowers. Set way in the back are three tiny white buildings. First and second Pike River School Houses and Somers Town Hall stood, with quiet elegance in the distance. They were maintained beautifully and enjoyable to walk through. The effort put forth to maintain everything naturally was very obvious. If a tree falls it stays. If the bushes and foliage grow dense it stays. I did not get a commercialized and man made impression as I toured the nature sanctuary. There is even a tiny wooden box for donations. I peeked through the crack, before I dropped in my money, and was very happy to see that others appreciate what goes into maintaining this storybook setting and had donated as well. I am so pleased they are able to preserve the Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary. It's a little piece of quiet elegance, where children can learn, families walk, friends can enjoy a concert or class and couples can celebrate in this hidden gem.

Hawthorn Glen is a 23-acre nature center that primarily serves as a field trip location on weekdays…read morefor 12,000 children annually. Natural features include steep bluffs, flood-plain hardwood forest, spring-fed wetland, and a restored prairie. Visitors to this urban nature center can explore five different habitats interconnected by a trail system. The public is welcome to utilize the facility and the well-marked ¾ mile self-guided nature trail in the evenings or on weekends (the lower trail is mostly blacktopped and ADA accessible). Many seasonal programs are offered on the weekends. Trails are designated for hiking only. Hikers are reminded to leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories, and watch for wildlife. Hawthorn Glen is home to deer, foxes, raccoons, opossum, rabbits, chipmunks, woodchucks, two species of hawks, many migratory birds, and songbirds of all kinds year-round. The website states, also, "Come visit our Nature Museum and see native animals of Wisconsin, including tree frogs, several species of turtles and our six foot bullsnake. It is open weekdays (4:00-5:00 pm) and weekends (11:00-11:45 am and 3:00-4:00 pm). Admission is FREE." Check out the Hawthorn Glenn YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru99rqELBcA

A lovely and unexpected sanctuary in the middle of the city. Located in Wauwatosa, Hawthorne and…read moreGlen is a perfect place for families, couples, or anybody who wants to go on a hike, have a picnic, or go into their little educational center. If you're just up for a short, beautiful hike, I recommend going here. You will not feel like you are in the middle of the city. It is beautiful, and we had an incredible hike! It would be a beautiful place to have a picnic, or bring your kids as they have children's playgrounds and the educational center. They even have goose ducks and a few animals that you can go look at.

Nice park along Lake Michigan, lots of space to run and parking along the street, plus adjacent…read moreparking. Playground is in excellent good repair, looks new.

Kennedy Park is a great place for family fun, sports activities and a simple drive past the lake…read more The views of the lake are vast. Every season offers a gorgeous display of nature's beauty. The large flat park has a playground area with swings etc. It is large enough for a fun game of touch football too. Everyone likes to sit on the rocks because they are big and flat. They are stable enough to sit and get some sun or take some pretty photographs. I always look forward to a ride along Lake Michigan every time I'm in town.

Greenfield does have some nice parks. I like to eat lunch outside by myself in peace and quiet and…read morethis park is a good choice for that. There's also a nice playground if you have have younger children and a pleasant walking path if you need to stretch your legs. It's very well maintained and there's ample car parking though no bicycle racks.

I took a few of my nieces and nephews to River Bend this week end.. It was a wonderful time. They…read moreabsolutely enjoyed their selves. However,, there were woodcarvers showing young people how to carve.. You had to be 10 or older. So they said.. we seen children there that we no for fact were not 10 yet it seemed almost sad that it did not concern anyone.. And likewise I met with a supervisor there that was less than warm to us.. I don't usually get any negative feelings from protocol or rules.. But for some reason this time around here on this day I got a really sad feeling from these few individuals.. I dare not mention much else as I'm certain they will know who I am.. We did after this sad encounter .. meet up with a few awesome volunteers that didn't seem to care one way or another who we were or what we were..and they showed the kids how to build a fire and gave them some awesome knowledge.. but I think I'm gunna stick to Colonial No one to pass judgement .. thank you ...

I just discovered this park earlier this summer and love it. It's serene with beautiful vegetation…read moreand has a great trail that follows along the Root River. The trails are well maintained with either gravel or wood chips to prevent walking in mud. I have seen herons, bunnies, and deer up close and personal while hiking through the woods. It may just be my favorite park in town.